From Medieval France, Lisa Vanderpump Reflects on a Very Scandalous Spring (2025)

The shocking revelation of Tom Sandoval’s infidelity in the 10th season of Vanderpump Rules—with his girlfriend’s best friend, after nearly a decade of dating, while she was grieving the deaths of her dog and grandmother—had nothing to do with Lisa Vanderpump. However, as the drama wore on, some fans and cast members questioned how the show’s namesake had handled some aspects of the #Scandoval fallout; one critic even dared wonder if the show had outgrown its creator.

But Vanderpump’s season finale—which aired before a screeching trio of expletive-ridden reunion episodes—proved how very necessary Vanderpump remains, at least to the so-called poo-poo heads she hired. It’s during face time with the Vanderpump Rules boss, and on her soothingly overstuffed sofa, that Ariana Madix sees her angry façade finally crumple, and that Sandoval later claws his unnerving white fingernails over his face in something resembling agony. Vanderpump hired these two people to mix cocktails in her restaurant over a decade ago. But in the years since, she’s cast them, molded and mothered them, and even financed their dreams. She’s done something similar for the show’s fans as well: Who else but Vanderpump can we thank for distracting us from our tiny lives on a burning planet for 20-odd episodes a season?

And so, ahead of a “Secrets Revealed” episode of Vanderpump Rules that will close the season at long last, Vanderpump called VF from the medieval-fortress city of Carcassonne, in the South of France, where she’s currently plotting her recently announced Hulu series, Vanderpump Villa. The new show will again follow a group of her staff, this time as they “navigate every extravagant desire of their well-to-do guests” at her French villa—but Vanderpump promises it will have a vibe different from that of Vanderpump Rules and its West Hollywood crew’s televised travails. “We’ve been super busy, but I like to work. I would rather do that than sit by a pool. Mind you, a glass of rosé has been in my hand,” she says, with her elegant little London chuckle. “But I can do both. I’ll take a vacation later this year. Make hay while the sun shines, eh?”

Vanity Fair: How has #Scandoval spring been for you? Were you surprised by the giant reaction, from New York Times explainers to global watch parties?

Lisa Vanderpump: I’d be lying if I didn’t say everybody was surprised at the momentum. It just picked up so quickly and gathered so much speed—to be the headline on CNN and to be, as you say, on the front pages of newspapers. But people have been invested in the show for so many years. I’d liken it to: You’d watched Friends and you feel like you know these characters. We saw them live together. It was compounded by the fact that it was her best friend. To see the footage of Raquel [Leviss] asking Ariana [about her sex life with Tom], and Ariana taking Raquel into confidence, it all seemed bizarre and clandestine and duplicitous. I don’t think anybody believed those two were capable of it.

How did you feel about those last five minutes of the reunion, in which Raquel reveals to a producer that Tom encouraged her to lie about the timeline of the affair? They were much-hyped, and some people thought overhyped.

The hype was that I knew, and they were pretty aggressive to me online. Finally I had to tweet and say, “No, I didn’t know. I wish I had.” It was pretty astounding. For her to even utter words, maybe, that they weren’t in unison—it was a bit surprising, to be honest. But that’s what good producers, and a good reality family, endeavor to do: get the truth.

People think you knew ahead of time. They’ve pointed to that memed scene of your husband, Ken, being gossipy, because it seemed so un-Ken. So, last word: Did anyone feed Ken that line?

Ken didn’t have a mic on! Ken wasn’t filming. I’d told Ken before, and he just thought he was having a bit of a laugh. I don’t think he realized the ramifications of it, but nobody did at that time. I mean, if he’d been in the scene, maybe somebody would’ve fed him the line. But to suddenly walk into the scene without a mic, and then walk out the other side? It was funny at the time because it wasn’t that serious. It was more of an innuendo. Ken doesn’t care what he says on reality television, or whether he’s on it or not. I think he established that a long time ago.

You knew that Raquel had slept over at Tom Sandoval’s while Ariana was away at her grandmother’s funeral, because they had told you, and we saw that. And you told Ken.

Yeah. But they were absolutely vociferous that she was a friend, and we believed Raquel because Ariana was so invested in her being honest and kept saying, “No, she’s my friend. She wouldn’t do that. My boyfriend wouldn’t do that.” When you’re hearing that from, ultimately, the person who turned out to be the victim of this Scandoval, you tend to believe it.

Listen, I thought it was suspect, and that’s what I said: “Oh, please. You wouldn’t have been in the Jacuzzi with somebody!” Did I think Raquel was having an affair with him? No. Did I think it was all a bit inappropriate? Yes. Everything that you saw on Vanderpump Rules is exactly the way it played out. I think that’s the success of the show—we don’t try and change anything. We don’t try and create a narrative. It just plays out the way it does. Yes, we were surprised that she suddenly came clean. But it was also a good producer saying, “Come on. I know what’s going on. Why don’t you tell the truth?”

That’s the magic of the show, the fact that normally everybody works together and everybody knows each other so well. That’s why this was so devastating, because the cast were outraged. They felt they’d been deceived.

You’ve also been accused of being too kind to Tom Sandoval during the reunion. Do you understand why people felt that way, and do you stand by the kindness you showed him?

I entered that scene, when I first saw him [in the finale], saying, “No, this isn’t a hug-worthy moment.” Normally, I embrace them. I love them! When you have somebody that has grown up with you, and it’s clearly very emotional, I would never pile on. I just wouldn’t do it. I don’t like it. I don’t like it when everything’s one-sided.

Now, of course, was I disgusted by it? Yes, I would use that word. But there’s no point in me reiterating everything everybody else has said. If I jumped with them, it would’ve felt like bullying. I think I said enough. With somebody young, like a child of yours or a student of yours, or somebody that’s worked under your jurisdiction at work or whatever, I think you always look for the way forward. That’s what you would do with one of your children. “Okay, you’ve done a bad thing. I don’t think you’re a bad person.” I can’t change my position on that.

It was also very emotional because I love Ariana, and I’m happy to see that she got it together really quickly. But, of course, I knew she was really, really hurting. You try to look forward and say, “Okay, what’s the best plan of action? How can you repair it? How can you show your remorse? How can you understand what you’ve done?” If I had stood there screaming at him with Lala [Kent] and [the rest of the cast], what good would that have done?

I’m also cognizant of when it could be too much for somebody. That comes from a very personal point of view for me. [Editor’s note: Vanderpump’s brother, Mark, died by suicide in 2018.]

Ariana completely loses it once she’s alone with you, and Tom cries the most with you. How did you find that mix over the course of your life as a boss—of being mother but also mentor, and also manager whom they respect professionally?

Well, look: They are different to other employees. I’ve lost so many employees over the years and had so many employees, even people that have lived with us in our house. I really respect having good relationships with people that work for me, and I try to treat them how I would like to be treated. Now, I’ve been very much a mentor in their lives. But I also dragged them into the forum of reality television. Of course, it’s a lot easier to earn good money in this forum than it is working as a waiter, and they’ve benefited hugely. They’ve been smart—some of them have—and developed a brand.

But it also can be pretty painful when you do get it wrong, and you have to live with it. It’s so public, whether you’re the perpetrator or the victim. I do feel protective. I’ve seen them get married and divorced, screw up and make mistakes. I care about them all. They drive me crazy, some of them, they really do, but I care about them very much. I can honestly say that I love them.

I was very, very disappointed in Tom Sandoval. I was upset. I just didn’t feel it my place to be aggressive and to pile on when everybody else was doing it. Tom’s strong, and hopefully he will continue to be remorseful. We’ll see. But I’ve seen some people in my life, very closely, that depression has overtaken, and you’ve got to be careful of that too.

Have you been in touch with Ariana and Tom since the end of filming?

Oh yes, yes. I didn’t realize this was all about Vanderpump Rules. I’m sorry, I thought…

We can talk about other things. What can you tell us about Vanderpump Villa? Are you already filming in France right now?

No, no, I’m not filming the show. I’m just about to start filming Vanderpump Rules again in another week or two. I’m out here with a team of people, and we’re definitely looking forward to shooting, but that’s not for a while. It should be totally different, not a competitive show to Vanderpump Rules whatsoever. It’s got a totally different kind of vibe, and I’m very excited for that.

Is there anything you can tell us about choosing the people for the new show? What do you look for when hiring staff? You clearly have an eye for talent.

Talent? Well, we’ll use that term loosely. Every job has a different requirement, really, but I think anybody that’s going to put their lives out on television has to be well aware of what they’re getting into. It’s funny when people talk about, “Why didn’t you have this person or this person on Vanderpump Rules?” A lot of people didn’t want to be on Vanderpump Rules! Were like, “God, no.” It’s got to be a certain kind of character, gregarious and provocative and confident enough to be in front of the camera, and honest. That’s what you look for, that magic—that they can live their life as if you’re just a fly on the wall. But yes, I have thoughts already about that. We’re early days, but it’s still very exciting.

What else are you working on? Pump is closing in a few weeks, but how many other restaurants do you have in the works?

We’re announcing tomorrow the fact that I’m opening in Lake Tahoe, with Caesars Palace, a new restaurant called Wolf by Vanderpump. I’ve been designing it with my partner in Vanderpump Alain, Nick Alain. It’s going to be beautiful, big design statements, which I think we’ve become pretty good at.

[Vanderpump à] Paris has been a huge success in the Paris Casino in Las Vegas, and I have a great working relationship with Caesars Palace, so to do a couple more projects with them is very exciting. I can create the aesthetic, which is something I love, and it’s something I’ll be very involved with for Vanderpump Villa on Hulu.

Of your portfolio, what gets your blood racing? Is it the early stages of a restaurant, or opening? Launching new products and brand extensions, like wine? The TV shows in development?

All the things I’m involved in are passion projects. I’ve come to that stage of my life. Vanderpump Rosé has been such a baby of ours, and to have my kids involved and see it on shelves and in our restaurants, that’s very exciting. You create something, and it comes to fruition. The same with our design business—I can dream it and do rough scribbles and tell Nick, and Nick can build it in the factory. Seeing that finished product of Vanderpump Rules, even the main title. When I walk into my Paris restaurant, arguably the most beautiful restaurant in Vegas, and to have creative control, I get very excited by that. And I still like being on camera, but I’m not as excited as I am when it comes to design or producing. After, I don’t know, 500 episodes, I think I’ve probably seen enough of myself.

You start filming Vanderpump Rules in a few weeks, as you said. What can you tell us about the new season, and do you know who’s involved?

I do hope that when the cast comes back, they try and move forward. Do I think relationships will be the same? No. But that’s what happens in life, isn’t it? People have to be held accountable. This cast has always been very unpredictable. This certainly came out of left field, so who knows what will happen in the next season. I can never predict, because just when I think that’s what they’re going to do, they do something different.

How does it feel to keep building your empire, after the very full career you were already having before reality TV?

Our restaurant business is a lot smaller now than it used to be. We’re building back up. We pulled out of Villa Blanca; our landlords raised rents, and we made a prudent decision to walk away. To have a restaurant for 10 years is quite an achievement in itself, when most restaurants go out of business, but we had a much bigger business when we were in London. We sold to public companies a couple of times. We’d built up a brand and sold it out, retired, then built up another brand. We had a 30-something restaurants in London.

So our business isn’t as big, but it’s definitely more diverse. To have the success of producing is just extraordinary. Bravo gave me that chance and evolution, and I’m so lucky to have worked with some incredible people. [Vanderpump Rules executive producer] Alex Baskin and I sat there as we cast that show, I introduced him to the people that I thought would be great television, and we ran with it.

And to have designed restaurants over the years with my husband, it’s been fantastic. We’ve sold many houses. To be able to create is food for the soul.

Is there anything else—

Don’t forget one of my real passions. We’ve just had an incredible [Vanderpump] Dog Foundation gala. All these people came out to support us, and all the money goes to save thousands of dogs. That’s one of the things I’m most proud of. To create your own philanthropic endeavor is a lot of work, but it has really been worth it. That’s part of the Vanderpump legacy—that empathy and kindness for our four-legged, furry friends.

Dog lover first.

I’ve met a lot of people I’m not sure about. But dogs, I’ve loved every one of them.

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